Car construction



CAR CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 28. 1923 Patented Mar. 15, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN F. OCONNOR, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNQR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO W. H. MINER, INC., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

CAR CONSTRUCTION.

Application filed September 28, 1923. Serial No. 665,311.

This invention relates to improvements in car construction.

One object of the invention is to provide a simple, efficient and relatively inexpensive arrangement which is particularlyadapted for mine cars of the type most commonly employed, effective to cushion the shocks in buff and wherein provision is made for coupling the cars in a simple manner.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will more clearly appear from the description and claims hereinafter following.

In the drawing forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a vertical, longitudinal, sectional view of the adjacent ends of. two mine cars showing my improvements in connection therewith. And Figure 2 is a top plan View of the structure illustrated in Figure 1.

In said drawing, each mine car is shown as provided with a heavy flooring 10 and a vertical end wall 11. At the opposite ends each car is also provided with a drawbar 12.

' Each drawbar is in the form of an elongated flat plate extending through the end'wall 11 and secured to the inner end of the flooring 10. Adjacent the outer end, each drawbar is provided with a downwardly pro jecting lug 13 abutting the vertical arm of an angle plate 14 fixed to the end of the car by bolts 15 extending through the upper end of the angle plate and the flooring 10, the upper arm of the angle plate being cut away at the center to accommodate the hori zontal portion of the drawbar 12. A bolt 16 extending through the drawbar, the outer end of the flooring 10 and a transversely extending reinforcing member 17 at the under side of the flooring, is preferably provided to secure the outer end of the drawbar to the car.

In carrying out my invention, I provide a spring buffer A at each end of the car. Each of the buffers A is in the form of an open loop of bar spring steel, having an outer curved section 18 of relatively great radius; opposite curved end sections 19--19 of relatively short radius terminating in. alined straight sections 20-20, the latter being riveted or otherwise secured to the vertical arm of the corresponding angle plate.

The drawbars at the opposite ends of the car each have a block B swiveledthereto, the blocks B at the opposite ends ofthe car belng of like construction. The blocks B are each provided with a centrally disposed upwardly pro ectlng cylindrical stem 21 and the pro ecting end of. each drawbar is pro-.

vided with an opening 22 adapted to receive the stem of one of the blocks. The stem of each block serves to swivelly connect the same to the corresponding drawbar, the

other car; the cars being always so disposed when coupled that the link on one car is in opposed relation to the hook of the adjacent car.

Each of the blocks B is thus Each link C is preferably of U shape and has the side arms thereof thickened at the open end of the U as indicated at 24, said thickened portions being perforated to re ceive a horizontally disposed pivot pin 25 extending through the corresponding block B, thereby supporting the link for swinging movement in a vertical plane. The pin is preferably retained in position by a cotter pin.

Each hook D has the rear end of the shank thereof bifurcated as indicated at 26, thereby providing a pair of arms 27-27, straddling the corresponding block B. A horizontally disposed pivot pin 28 extending through the block B andthe arms 27 serves to pivotally support the hook for swinging movement in a vertical plane. The arms 27-27 are preferably thickened adjacent the pivot openings thereof to strengthen the same, the pin being preferably retained in position by a cotter pin. The hook member proper of the hook D is directed downwardly and the engaging end thereof inturned slightly as indicated at 29 to prevent accidental disengagementv thereof.

When the hook D is disengaged from the cars approach each other, the spring bufifers A of the adjacent cars will be brought into abutment and the loops compressed, thereby absorbing the b-ufiing shocks. While the cars approachi eaclr other during: bufling: ac-

- tion, the hook and linln will swing down wardly on their pivots but will remain interlocked due" to theengagingrendiof the hook proper being: inturned:

I- have herein sllown and described what I now consider the prefer-redimanner of carrying: out my invention; but the same is merely illustrative; and L contemplate all changes andunodifications that come within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I- claim=z 1 In a device of the character described, the combinationi with the end structure of a car, including a draw bar; of a resilient element having a centrally bowed portion spaced outwardly fronrthe end of said draw bar, saidn resilient element: having looped: side portions and inwardly turned end: por tions secured to the car structure inwardly of the outer" end of said draw bar; and a coupling. element" operatively associated with said clr-aw'bar and arranged to extend outwardly 0ffsaid resilient: element in one position; and" inwardly of said elementin another position;

2. In a device of the character described; the combination with the end structure of a car, including: a drawbar of ai resilient buih ingt element connected to said end structure a'ndiextendinga outwardly of and sp acedifrom' the: outer end of saidi drawbar; said butting! element and: said draw-bar beingarranged substantially" within a horizontal plane; a. blockswiveled to'said drawbarand extendingrto'aipoint beneath said resilient element and a coupling element pivotally mounted on said block.

which it is affixed and arrangedzwithinthe bowed portion of the adjacent resilient element; and' a' coupling: element operatively associated w-itlr each of said dr-ambars and arranged toextend outwardly of its related: resilient element inone position, and inward ly of said element in' another position; saidcoupling elements having their free' end: portionsconstructed for detachable swing-- able engagement, whereby upon approach of said resilient butting; elements said coupling: elements automatically yield to permit said approach; and upon separation of said buffing. elements said coupling. elements resume position to effect draft connectionsbetaveen said drawbars.

4'. In a device of the character described, the combination wit'hrtheend structureot a= car, including a drawbar; of a buttingzel'ement extending outwardly of and spaced from the endof: said drawbar, said element extending to either side of" said draw-bar and being connected tosaid end' structure; and: coupling: means having a imiv-ersal connec-- tion: with said' drawbar and including acouplingxelement movably arranged toswing outwardly beneath said bufling: element" to operative positioniand being swin'ggable to a point within the plane defined by the buffingelement when in inoperative position;

In witnessthat 11 claimthe foregoing I have hereunto subscribed'my name this 26th day of September, 1923.

JOHN- F. OGO'NNQR 

